My Narrative Essay

The Beast

         I can feel the cold breeze blowing on my neck pushing me forward toward the potato cellar that is now filled with farming equipment with layers of dust on them, instead of potatoes. I know the cellar its self is safe but what is inside of it is what makes me want to turn and run. As I take my first few steps into the cold, dark cellar I begin to rethink my decision. I can smell the dry dirt that covers the cellar floor and the rust that is coming from the farm equipment. I can hear the birds flying above trying to find their way out of the cellar. ‘Maybe that’s a sign’ I think to myself. Unfortunately I trust my new fiancée, Tyson and keep walking forward with him leading the way. I still remember what he told me when we first got engaged.
   “It’s a necessity that you learn this, if you are going to join my family”.
I had finally convinced myself that it was, like he said, a necessity and now found myself in this predicament. I watch Tyson as he un-covers the beast that I was supposedly going to tame. I look at the white four-wheeler, with bright red writing on it saying blaster. After reading the word blaster, images of rockets, defying gravity and the number 911 pop into my head, this is going to end very badly.
         Tyson rolls the four-wheeler down the rusted ramp that is connected to the trailer. He then starts to inspect it and as I watch I can’t help but wish that something was wrong with it and that I wouldn’t have to turn the dreadful thing on and try to drive it.
   “Looks to me like the air pressure is low in this front right tire,” says Tyson.
   ‘Yes!’ I think ‘I get to live another day’.
   “Thankfully, we won’t be going on any long distance rides today so this will be just fine” he then says.
It is as if I had won the winning prize on some radio show and they then had the nerve to tell me that it was all just a joke. My heart plummets into my stomach so far that I have to take a deep breath to try and revive myself.
   “Well I guess now is better than later,” I say to Tyson “let’s get this over with”.
         I can feel the fear within me trying to take hold of my body. Sure I had ridden four-wheelers and dirt bikes but with someone else driving. Now this is me driving it and worse than that the four-wheeler is one with gears that you have to shift on your own. I hesitant to turn it on for fear of it running off with me but I wasn’t going to give into my fear. I turn it on and I can feel the rumble of the engine underneath me.
   “Ok Katie, slowly let go of the clutch and start giving it gas.” says Tyson.
I hear him but his voice seems fogy and distant. My mind isn’t listening; it’s focusing on one thing and one thing only, surviving. The next I know the four-wheeler jerks forward and then dies with a loud grunt.
   “Crap! I knew it! I knew I shouldn’t be trusted with this, now I’ve broken it.” I say, stunned at what had just happened.
I look back at Tyson and I can see that smile he gets when I do or say something idiotic.
   “I’m glad you’re enjoying my pain.” I say to him as if to make him feel bad.
   “You didn’t break it, you just killed the engine.” Tyson explains with a big smile of his face.
He then grabs the key and turns the four-wheeler back on.
         I can feel my heart starting to race, but not with fear this time, no this was different, I . . . I’m actually enjoying this. I can feel the fear dwindling away little by little and excitement starting to make its presence known. I sit there with my left hand on the clutch holding tight and my right hand gently giving the four-wheeler some gas.
   “Ok, again Katie, give it more gas and slowly let the clutch out,” Tyson says emphasizing the word slowly.
         This time I let it register in my mind and do exactly as he says. I can feel the four-wheeler starting to move forward and the excitement exploding in my body and I let go of the clutch faster than I should have and the four-wheeler jerks forward and dies with a grunt, again. I know that what had just happened was wrong but that explosion of excitement caught me off guard. Without Tyson even getting close to the key, I grab it and turn it.
         It’s the same feeling as the last time that I turned the four-wheeler on, the excitement, but this time I’m ready for it. Tyson doesn’t even have to say anything, I know what to do. I rev the engine; give it enough gas to get the motor going. I repeat in my mind what Tyson said to me earlier ‘slowly let the clutch out’. I can feel the clutch disengaging as I let it out. It feels like the tense muscles of a horse that is ready to sprint. ‘Now give it some gas’ I think as I start pushing harder and harder with my thumb to give it more gas. As I do that I can feel the four-wheeler creeping forward.
         I finally give enough gas that I suddenly find the four-wheeler moving forward, not at a creeping pace or about to die. Stunned at the idea that I’m actually doing it, I finally bring myself to look up –instead of at my hands –and find that I am coming closer to the cellar doors. “Crap! How you stop this thing?” I yell back to Tyson and see him running after me. “Right foot! Right foot!” Cries Tyson. I glance down at my right foot and see a peg that I have just been resting my foot on. I gradually start putting pressure on that; enough pressure to stop the blaster, before we get close and personal with the cellar doors.
         A few weeks later…I can feel the wind blowing past me as I speed down the dirt road leading out into the dry desert, trying to keep up with my still fiancée, Tyson. Even though I am driving the ‘blaster’ the name means nothing compared to the dirt bike Tyson is driving, but I do my best to keep up. I’m still not accustomed to driving the blaster but we get along pretty well after a couple weeks of practice. I finally catch up to Tyson only because he has let off the gas and allows me to catch up. He then points behind us, up in the sky and I glance behind. Even though my helemt restricts my eye sight, I can see behind us what was not reported on the weather channel. Dark clouds growing bigger and coming our way.
         We are half way to the office that is out on the farming land that Tyson works on and we had planned on stopping there to have the lunch we had packed. I look back at Tyson and I can see his right eye brow rising as if to say ‘think you can handle a little rain or do we need to turn back so your hair doesn’t get wet?’ I glare back at him and then without warning press hard on the gas, taking off ahead of him. While portraying the image of not caring, inside my head I’m praying the rain doesn’t hit till after we have reached the office. Unfortunately, my luck seems to have run out because the rain starts fall while we are about two miles away from the office.
         The second I feel the rain hit the skin on my arm –that isn’t protected with a long sleeve jacket or long sleeve shirt –I gasp in shock at the pain one drop of rain can make. The pain feels as if someone is shooting their air soft gun at me at a close rang. I look at my arms which are now covered with bright red welts. I set my sights on the Tyson who has once again sped ahead of me and is almost to the office. I try to only think of the warmth that will come once we get there, but the drops of rain get bigger and faster. I can start to feel the rain soaking through my jeans and the wind that once felt nice getting cold and icy.
         I finally reaching the office I hurry and shift the gears and slow the four-wheeler to a stop. I look up at Tyson who isn’t sure what emotion I am feeling right now and is trying to decided whether he should portray pity for me or laugh at me. I turn off the four-wheeler and take off my helmet. I see relief cross Tyson face as he sees the huge grin on my face. We then run inside and enjoy our lunch while watching the rain fall. As we sit there in silence staring out the window I remember what Tyson’s mother had told me about why she joined in these activities with her husband and kids. “It’s not because I enjoy it, I do it so that I won’t miss one second with the ones I love. It’s so I can make memories with them and not hear about memories they made without me.”

Detective K. Galson

By: Katherine G. Wheiler

Every tick of the clock seemed to grow longer and longer. The streets were deserted, no cars, no human in sight, no sounds were to be heard. Nothing but pure silence. This kind of silence only came when a big crime was goin’ down. As I sat there with my steaming hot coffee I knew something big was gunna happen. I just had to wait. Wait for that one sound that would trigger everything. That one sound that made it official, that would give me the first clue to my puzzle. I just had to wait.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

Finally, I thought. That was the sound I waited for, my patience paid off. “Come in” I yelled to the door. The door opened and there she stood. She had to be at least 5'4 , but with the heels she looked about 5'6. She had long blond hair and I could tell by the look of her clothes she was either a hard worker or she married the right guy. I looked at her ring finger. Nope nothin’. Not even a tan line from a ring being there. Out of all her features her big blue eyes were what caught me. They were strong but hidden behind them I could see the fear that welled up inside her. She was my first clue. She was the first piece of the puzzle. “Pull up a chair.” I said to her as I nodded to one of the chairs. She looked around as if to see if there was anyone else in the room other than me and her. “Can I trust you?” she said to me in a soft whisper. ‘Can I trust you?’ who would ask a detective that? “I don’t know that all depends on you sugar. You gunna take a seat or not?” I said to her calmly. The last thing I wanted was to waist time.

She grabbed the chair closest to her and pulled it closer to my desk. I looked at her curiously. From first glance she looked like the innocent type. The girl that stays far away from any kind of trouble. Why would she be here? She looked so familiar. I know I’ve seen her from some where before now. Maybe if the room wasn’t so dark I could get a better look. “Do you mind?” I asked her as I reached for the lamp. She slowly shook her head no and turned the lamp on her self. Yet still with the lights on I couldn’t think of where I knew her from. “How can I help you sugar?” I asked. She opened her mouth to speak but then suddenly stopped. I could tell what she was thinking. She was questioning if this was the right thing to do, or not. She opened her mouth again finally finding her voice to speak, but her finding came to late. Machine guns rang from outside of the office. Bullets flying every where, windows shattering into millions of pieces. “Time to go.” I said calmly as I grabbed the girls cold hand and yanked her out the back door.

My name is Detective K. Galson. I’ve spent twelve years of my lucky life solving crimes and saving damsels in distress and killing off the bad guys. Unfortunately the bad guys never get extinct so I'm stuck with this job until they are. Which means until I’m dead as a door nail in my grave I’m going to be solving crimes and saving dames. I’m the best of the best and that will never change. All the girls love me and all the men try and kill me. I’m known by all and its either a love or hate relationship.

Chapter One

“Would you like anything to eat?” I asked her in my bored tone, as I grabbed a bottle of water from my fridge. She jumped from the sound of my voice. She was still full of fear after our near death experience. I turned to look at her for an answer just to see her shake her head no. She was drenched head to toe from running in the rain. She stood in the middle of kitchen still trying to catch her breath and to get control of the shaking. I could see the tears welling up inside her. ‘No please anything but that’ I thought. I hated seeing a beautiful girl like her cry, it also made me a bit uncomfortable. I was in a family full of guys and none of us showed any kind of emotion. “I never should have come to you. I should have let it be.” she cried as she fell into my arms. She was just like a rose, both fragile and soft to the touch. She was shaking uncontrollably and was soaking wet from the rain.

I could feel sleep overcoming her body. I gently swept her off her feet and carried her to my bed. I set her down on my bed and went off to find some dry clothes she could wear. I picked out one of my clean shirts and grabbed my new sweat pants that tied around the waist. I figured that maybe she could tie them tight enough that they might just stay on her. “The shower is right through there and here are some dry clothes in there that you can change into.” I said as I pointed bathroom. She looked at me with her beautiful eyes and that’s when I knew that I had to protect her. That’s when I knew I would give my life to protect her. Out of all the girls that I’ve saved she was different from the others. Her arms wrapped around me as she whispered in my ear. “Thank you.” she said as she held me in a warm embrace.

I watched her as she walked to the bathroom and shut the door. Her scent still lingered in the air, I couldn’t describe it. I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts. There was still a puzzle to put together & I couldn’t let this gal distract me.


--So many ideas but for some reason I just cant seem to even finish one haha--

Let It Rain

By: Katherine Wheiler

There I sat, staring out my small window at the endless raindrops. Just watching every drop fall past my window and hit the ground. It was as if they had me mesmerized. I couldn’t stop watching them and listening to them. It sounded like there was a tap dance on the roof of my house. It made me feel calm and relaxed. Like there was nothing to worry about. All was fine and good in the world. I didn’t want it to stop, I wanted it to rain forever, so that this feeling wouldn’t go away. My eyelids slowly closed shut, but before they were completely shut I took one more glance out my small, wet window. Just as I looked out I spotted Gustav running into the middle of the street, spin around in the rain, and then signaled to me to come out and join him. I jumped off my chair, grabbed my coat and boots, and sprinted outside.

Our eyes made contact and like always a warm ting-a-ling feeling ran throughout my body. He was like a brother to me. We had known each other our whole lives. We knew each other inside and out. What our hopes were, our fears, dreams, and each others secrets. It was like we were brother and sister. We had the same favorite food, toys, etc. No one could separate us. We were almost alike except for one thing, I was Jewish. Thankfully that never kept him away from me. Even though we were in out teens, we would still play our own little games. Go on adventures, discover new places, and try new foods. We were always together. Always.

Chapter One

“Katrin What in the world have you been doing? You are soaking wet ” My mother glared at me as I walked into the kitchen wet from running around in the rain. “Es tut mir leid mama. Gustav and I were...well...outside” I said with my sad puppy dogface. She scanned me up and down and finally handed me a towel. “You know very well that it is not safe for you to be running around outside. And it’s not safe for your friend either Don’t you remember what happened in the market place today?”

A shiver ran down my spine. My mind threatened to replay the whole thing. I started to feel that faint feeling I had felt when I watched it happen. Just remembering it all, the blood, and hatred. All the emotions that I had felt, came flowing back. “Mama why would people do such a horrible thing? We never did anything to them. We’ve done what they asked of us We moved out of our houses, stopped going to movies, and we are now living in the cold, dirty ghettos What more do they want from us?” I cried. “Katrin you know why. You’ve heard the rumors about us. We are Jewish and for that people have grown to hate us. Hatred makes people do crazy and stupid things.” I stared into her eyes hoping to see a glimpse of hope or at least a little tiny bit of faith, but I found nothing, nothing to comfort me.

I turned on my heals and sluggishly walked to my room. I felt as if there was no point in my life. That it would be easier to just end it. I wanted to leave this horrible, cruel life behind. I opened my door, walked into my room, and slowly closed my door. When it was closed I collapsed on the floor and let the tears flow from my eyes. There was nothing else for me to do. I just curled up into a ball and cried until I was in a deep sleep.

I jumped hearing the sound of tapping on the window. The first thought that came to me was that there was a stupid bird tapping on my window. I got up and looked out my window to find no stupid, brainless bird, but Gustav. I quietly opened my window and stuck my head out. “Katrin come I have something to show you And I need to talk to you about something.” It was a new adventure for us and the curiosity sparked my excitement and before I knew it I was out the window, sliding down the drain pipe. When I reached the bottom I had been going so faster than I expected and landed right on my butt. Gustav ran over to me stifling a laugh, grabbed my hand, and helped me up. I had thought that he would let go, but instead he held on tighter. It seemed as if he thought that we were going to be separated and he wouldn’t let that happen. I looked back at him bewildered, but he just stared back at me. He smiled at me and the pulled me off into the darkness. Every step we took would speed up, till finally we were running. Running through the streets, past the barber shop that was shut down and then threw the forest. It was as if something was behind us and was catching up. His grip on my hand grew tighter and tighter and even though it felt as if he were going to break my hand off I didn’t want him to let go.

We finally got to our little clubhouse. I smiled at it. We had so many memories there. I climbed the ladder first and close behind me was Gustav. I sat down in my usual spot and he sat right in front of me. We just sat there for a while and finally he pulled me over to him and held me close to him. It at first scared me and then I just melted into his arms. We just sat there for what seamed like hours. I never wanted to leave his warm embrace.

“Katrin” he paused still holding me tight in his embrace. “My parents made me I had no choice.” I pulled away from him looked into his eyes. I was confused and lost. “Your parents made you do what?” I said calmly. “They signed me up for the Nazi youth camp. They told me it was the best thing for me and that it would help me understand that Jews...” he trailed off. I could see the tears well up in his eyes “You have to know I didn’t want to It wasn’t my choice ” I just stared at him. I pushed him away and crawled over to the corner of the clubhouse. I could hear him move towards me. I wanted to tell him to stay away, to push him away from me, but my heart kept beating his name and longing for him to hold me tight again. He sat by me, not touching me or saying anything. We just sat there and finally I looked at him and he wrapped his arms out and I fell right into them.He finally turned, looked me straight in my eyes. “Katrin whatever happens I promise we will always be together. Nothing can tear us apart I promise.” I gently cradled my head on his chest and slowly drifted off into sleep. Before I was completely asleep I felt Gustav’s warm lips press against my forehead and then heard him whisper something I had always known but never heard him say. “I love you Katrin.”

The cool morning breeze woke me up. I slowly stood up and looked out the window of our clubhouse. Everything looked peaceful and bright. I looked around and inhaled the fresh air. The scent of fire caught my attention. Curiosity struck me and I waned to go see what it was. I turned around and looked at Gustav. Everything about him reminded me of a Greek God. I quietly walked over to where he lay and knelt down by him. I brushed his long dark brown out of his face. “Gustav wake up. Another adventure awaits us.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him up and started walking to where the smoke was coming from. I finally realized that the smoke was close to my house and I could tell that Gustav realized this too. His grip tightened on my hand and we picked up our pace. As we got closer and closer I became more fearful for what I would find. Finally we got where the fire had been. It wasn’t by my house are anywhere close to my house. It was my house. I sprinted to it screaming. “Mama Mama Where are you?” tears already starting to fall down my face. I ran up to the door and started to reach for it but before I could enter Gustav grabbed my other hand. “Gustav what are you going ? My mother is in there We have to get her out ” He looked at me with pity and tears in his eyes threatening to fall. He pulled me close and held me as tears streamed down my face. I finally pushed him away and it took all of the strength I could muster to make him let go. I ran into the house expecting my mother to be standing there with her worried look, but there was no sign of life. Everything was burnt. The up stairs had collapsed and there was no sign of her. I fell to my knees as the realization washed over me. She was gone and I didn’t even to get to say goodbye. Gustav walked over to me, picked me up off the ground and carried out of the burnt house that I use to call home.

I had nowhere to go, nowhere to live, I was alone. The only person in my life was a Nazi who loved me and I loved him. Gustav carried me back to our clubhouse, then set me down. I just sat there curled up in his arms not saying a word. I wanted to run, but I had no where to go. So I just stayed in the arms of the man I loved. “Katrin I have to go. Please do not do anything stupid,” he pleaded then whispered to me “I love you.” He then kissed my gently on my forehead and walked slowly our of the clubhouse. I sat there not knowing that, that would be the last time I would see him. I fell asleep thinking I would wake up to his beautiful face in the morning. Only in my dreams could I go to a place where everything was ok, where my mother was still alive and I place where I could happily with Gustav.

Chapter Two

I woke up refreshed and to the sound of birds chirping. I didn’t want to wake up but I had enough sleep and it was time for me to move around. I walked around outside the clubhouse, stretching all the muscles I could. I had thought Gustav would be back by now but there was no sign of him. I thought to myself ‘Maybe he’s getting some food and clothes and clothing for me.” food sounded good and some clean clothes would be nice.

--I started this story a long time ago, I think when I was in high school (most likely while I was taking the Holocaust class). I'm not sure I like it that much now after reading it again, but maybe with some more work on it, it might be a good one =] maybe!--

[Undecided]

By: Katherine G. Wheiler

When everything that could have been yours, a family, friends, a love, a past; everything that you could ever want, is taken from you. Does that make you free? Or does that make you a prisoner of revenge?

Chapter One

There was screaming in my head that never ended, the volume of it never softened. I waited and waited for it to end but it was imprinted in my mind. It was like a broken record that I could never fix, throw out, or unplug. I had to get the screaming out of my head. I thought about everything I was feeling. Mykels cold breath on my neck and his quivering hand holding mine. The cold threatening breeze telling us that night fall was coming. Night fall...tonight will mean that we've been hiding under the kitchen floor boards for a week. I could feel chills up and down my spine. I wanted to leave, I wanted to run and hug mother and stuff my mouth with her wonderful cooking. I wanted to play with Mikel and the others. I was tired of eating whatever bug that scurried past us, I was tired of hiding. I could feel the claustrophobia kicking in. "Mykel can we please go?" I said with a weak, cracking whisper. Every night around the same time I would ask the same question. Every time after I asked it he would cradle my face in his hands, kiss me on the forehead and say to me 'Shhh, tonight you sleep. Dream about butterflies and rainbows. Dream about warmth and a stuffed belly.' and I would do as he asked. I stared into his eyes praying that tonight would be different. He cradled my face in his hands, gently kissed my forehead and whispered to me "stay here." I looked at his face with curiosity. 'That was unexpected' I thought to myself. I watched him as he crawled to the hidden trap door that led to the kitchen wanting to crawl after him and leave this wretched hiding place, but like always I did as he asked. He slowly opened the trap door and crawled out. I could barely hear his footsteps, he was always the quietest person I'd ever known. His footsteps could pass for a little mouse scurrying across the floor boards, I envied that about him. Unlike him I was louder than a elephant and slower than a tortoise.

As I waited memories slowly crept back into my mind. It was like I was there again at the store where it all started. I could smell the fresh bread coming out of the oven, the feel of the money in my hand, the excitement of being able to buy some bread, and Mykels arms around me. It was the day that we were "official" or as some people would say engaged. It was custom for eighteen year olds to get married at a young age here but what was different between us and the others was, we were actually in love. It started out as being the best day of my life, but it seems as though the Gods cannot stand seeing anyone being truly happy. I'd never seen so much blood, so much pain, so much sadness, so much...hate. I wish I could thank Gillick the baker for hiding us, I wish I could thank him for... giving his life for us. Tears broke free and I fought to think about happy things. I never wanted to think of that day again...never. "Where are you Mykel? Where are you?" I said under my breath and as though he had heard me the trap door flung open, he dropped down into a crouch, and held out his hand for me. I crawled over to him and we both climbed out of our hideout. The excitement started to drain as fear took over my body. I wasn't ready to see what had happened, my heart wasn't ready to see the conformation of that dreadful day. Mykel was one step ahead of me, he turned me to him, looked into my eyes and asked "Do you trust me?". "With my life" I said in reply.

He grabbed a clean kitchen dish towel, gently tied it around my head, and covered my eyes. We stood there for what left like five minutes, all the time I was wondering what he was doing. When all of the sudden I felt him try and successfully lift me off the ground. I felt his arms shake and I braced myself preparing to fall. "Mykel you and I both know that you are too weak to be carrying me. Put me down!" I said as I tried to push myself out of his arms, but his hold on me tightened. "Pretend its like our honeymoon night. Just relax, you said you trusted me" he teased. I closed my eyes, rested my head on his shoulder, and tried to relax. I felt the movement of his body and started to recognize when he would step over something. I couldn’t help but imagine who he was stepping over. "Are we almost there? Where are we even going?" I asked. "Almost there don’t worry. Just be patient with me hun" he said as he kissed my forehead. I could feel his arms starting to fail him. I tightened my grip and prepared to drop to the ground. He always surprised me because without fail he had more strength then I expected. As he walked I started to count his footsteps just to occupy my mind. 24..25..26..27..

--Thats just an idea of a book that I had and I'm not sure I like it. So far I like this one more than my other stories that I've started. I'm open to opinions and comments =] I'm considering have this take place in the Euxine- Colchic deciduous forests
Where: Çamilhemsin Valley, near Trabzon, Turkey
Size: 28,700 square miles (74,400 square kilometers) -- about the size of South Carolina